Page 20 of Our Secrets and Lies

‘Really? He’s kind of scary. He’s always been so hard on Tom. Mind you, my father knew Gabriel back when they were boys in St Jude’s and he says Gabriel was always very tough and that Gabriel’s father was the same. You know Gabriel’s father, Tom’s grandfather, was the headmasterat St Jude’s, don’t you?’

Lucy hadn’t known that and didn’t care. Olivia seemed to think this was a big deal but Lucy couldn’t have given a damn if Gabriel’s father was the bloody president. Gabriel was a bully and she had zero interest in his father.

Olivia prattled on: ‘He turned St Jude’s around. It was always a top school, but Gabriel’s father brought it to a whole new level. He was quitea maverick and ruled with an iron fist. Gabriel was apparently very keen to please his father and he ended up getting the best exam results in the whole country. My father says Gabriel is a genius, which explains a lot.’

It explains nothing, Lucy thought. If he was so bloody intelligent, why didn’t he see that he was alienating his son and might never see or know his own grandchild?

Lucy hatedthe way the St Jude’s crowd always thought stories about their ‘special’ school were so interesting. It was as if they were unable to peel themselves away from their school days, stand on their own two feet or have an individual thought. It was pathetic.

‘It’s kind of amazing that Tom turned out to be such a softie and a sweetie. My dad says Tom’s mum was really nice. So sad she died so young.’

‘Yes, it is.’

‘I’m still in shock about you guys, though. Did Tom tell you he was going, because he didn’t tell any of us?’

Going? What was she talking about?

‘Was it a bad break-up? I presume you did it because he was very into you. He told me he was mad about you. To behonest, I was kind of surprised because you’re not his usual type.’

Lucy frowned and held up her hand to shut Olivia up.‘We haven’t broken up.’

‘What?’

‘Tom and I are together.’

Olivia looked puzzled. ‘Well, why has he gone to New York to finish his law degree?’

‘New York?’ Lucy’s head began to spin. ‘What are you … New York?’

‘Oh, my God, did you not know?’ Olivia stared at her, clearly shocked. ‘The only reason I found out is because my mum bumped into him on the flight yesterday. She said he was behavingreally strangely. He told her he was going to finish his law degree in America because Gabriel thought it was better for him.’

Lucy was struggling to breathe. ‘Are you sure it was him?’

Olivia nodded. ‘I’m sorry, I really am. I presumed you’d broken up with him and that’s why he’d gone. I … Do you need a glass of water? Lucy?’

Lucy gripped the table and stood up unsteadily on shaking legs.‘I need air.’

‘Let me help you.’

‘No,’ Lucy snapped. ‘You’ve done enough damage.’

She staggered out of the café and down the road, sobbing. How could he do this? How could he abandon her? Her heart was pounding as she tried to gulp in air. New York to finish his degree? Gabriel had obviously sent him away, far away from her, the social-climbing slut.

Oh, God. She bent over as pain stabbedin her stomach. She had to calm down – it was bad for the baby. She leant against the railings of a house and tried to control her breathing. She’d never, ever forgive Tom for being such a coward.Never. Oh, what was she going to do? She was on her own now. Completely alone.

She dug her nails into her palms to stop the panic that was rising within her. She thought of the envelope, back in herbedroom, with the tickets that could still be used. She saw two futures before her, but now neither of them featured Tom, which hurt so badly. What should she do?

Lucy stared at the sky and felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her. This was crazy – how had this become her life? She wanted to lie down on the street and never get up again. But then she thought of her parents, of how good theywere, and she thought of Gabriel talking to them as he had, the way he’d looked at them all, as if they were filth on his shoe. God, she hated him.

She put her hand on her stomach and took a deep breath. To hell with Tom and his bastard of a father. She’d show them. She’d be a great mother and a great lawyer and raise an amazing child. She would not fail. She was bloody well going to prove itto them all.

---